Agents can maneuver around bad situations

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Homeowners often spend years and thousands of dollars on yard improvements and interior restorations in order to secure the best resale value for their property.

But sometimes the most extensive remodeling projects can be mitigated if a seller’s neighbors don’t join the home makeover movement.

Unkempt yards, cars rusting on cinder blocks, rental properties and even commercial development, power lines and busy roads all pose a threat to a seller’s ability to lock in the highest price for their home, local real estate agents said.

Such “undesirable” environmental factors “can have a huge impact on the home’s value,” said Grant Lopez, a Homes Now! agent.

He recently took potential buyers to a listing in the Village at Inwood, showing them a home and yard that they thought were immaculate.

“They considered making an offer on it, but then they looked around and saw the neighboring yards. They were unmaintained, and one driveway had a couple cars in there that might have been sitting around for a while,” Lopez said. “That was enough for them to say immediately that they’d like to look elsewhere.”

Like his clients, many potential buyers reject perfectly acceptable properties if the surrounding environment is not as presentable.

Though homeowners may not have much power over nearby drainage ditches, new businesses or traffic congestion at the end of their driveway, proactive sellers can take several steps to outweigh the unsightly nuisances in their neighborhood, said David Marne, a Half-Priced Real Estate agent.

“You can’t move your next-door neighbor’s yard. You can’t move the power lines (or) change the drainage easement,” he said. “These are things you’ll never be able to fix.”

Still, a serious homeowner hoping to restore value to their property should not overlook initiating a conversation with their neighbors, Marne advised.

“You’ve lived next to them for years,” he said. “Politely ask if they can help (beautify) the neighborhood.

Be sure to stress it improves their property value at the same time.”

Some elderly neighbors may need a helping hand in rejuvenating their lots.

But if taking the high road doesn’t work, Lopez said several clients in the past have turned to homeowners associations or even the city.

“It depends on the relationship between the neighbors,” he explained, and “if (the seller is) comfortable going across the street and saying, ‘Look we have our home on the market. Can you do me a favor?’.”

“But a lot of people want to avoid conflict,” he said. “So I see a lot of them going anonymously to the city and reporting possible violations” of city ordinances pertaining to high weeds, trash can placement or unused cars.

Even after sellers have exhausted their opportunities to remodel their own property and increase the attractiveness of their neighborhood, they still have two vital tools to help them increase their home’s competitiveness on the market.

First, accept reality, Lopez advised.

“Be patient. You have to wait for the right buyer to come along,” he said. “Same with older homes:

They’re not for everybody, so it’s a matter of accepting it may take time.”

Second, he and Marne stressed homeowners use statistics to their advantage.

“Hire the Realtor who is going to do the most marketing and place the house in its best light,” Marne said. “If it’s only going to appeal to 10 percent of the market, then you need 10 times as many people seeing the house.”

Most importantly, Marne added, real estate agents and their clients should never hide the truth of a property or its neighbors.

“You should show the house, warts and all,” he said. “You’re not going to fool anybody. They’ll eventually see your really, really small yard, and while 9 out of 10 people may think there’s no room for their kids to play, the 10th may love never having to mow the grass.

“As for a busy street, that may scare away buyers with kids, but I guarantee there are others who will like the convenience to commute to work.”